Cinderella Man | film by Howard [2005] | Britannica.com film by Howard [2005] THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic. Learn about this topic in these articles: in Ron Howard ...and his struggle with schizophrenia. The critically acclaimed film earned Howard an Academy Award for best director and was named best picture. Howard’s subsequent films include Cinderella Man (2005), which was based on the Depression-era boxer James Braddock (Russell Crowe), and The Da Vinci Code (2006), a film adaptation of Dan Brown’s... in Russell Crowe ...as Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), a seafaring epic based on the fiction series by Patrick O’Brian. In Cinderella Man (2005) he played real-life boxer James J. Braddock, who staged a timely comeback to help his family out of financial hardship during the Great Depression. After portraying an... Cinderella Man (2005) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property.

Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The story of James Braddock, a supposedly washed-up boxer who came back to become a champion and an inspiration in the 1930s. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON TV a list of 25 titles created 28 Dec 2010 a list of 35 titles created 30 Sep 2011 a list of 22 titles created 21 Jan 2013 a list of 43 titles created 31 Jan 2013 a list of 37 titles created 16 Mar 2013 Search for " Cinderella Man " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 40 nominations. See more awards » Videos Edit Storyline During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock--a.k.a.

the Cinderella Man--was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him--his family--was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, ... Written by Sujit R. Varma When America was on its knees, he brought us to our feet.

See more » Genres: Rated PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 3 June 2005 (USA) See more » Also Known As: $18,320,205 (USA) (3 June 2005) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia In reality after Max Baer had killed Frankie Campbell in the ring, he stayed by his side for 30 minutes, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, and spent time with him and his family at the hospital, telling Frankie's wife how sorry he was. The next day he was pronounced dead, after hearing this Max Baer broke down in tears. See more » Goofs In a shot of Joe Gould sitting in his car, you can clearly see the leaves of a palm tree reflected in the automobile's window. This scene takes place in the New York/New Jersey area, where there are no palm trees. See more » Quotes See more » Crazy Credits Before the title appears the following: "In all the history of the boxing game, you'll find no human interest story to compare with the life narrative of James J.

Braddock." - Damon Runyon (1936) See more » Connections James J. Braddock: Gladiator of the Great Depression 3 June 2005 | by lavatch (Twin Cities, Minnesota) – See all my reviews "Cinderella Man" deserves to be placed alongside other great biographical films dealing with the lives and times of great boxers. Such films include "Raging Bull," "The Joe Louis Story," "Ali," "The Hurricane," and "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." These films share in common not just a documentary-like approach to boxing or a superficial biopic. They also portray the human side of a modern gladiator and the culture that produced him. In the case of "Cinderella Man," we are given a detailed and heart-rending portrait of the Great Depression in American. The story of the gentleman pugilist James J. Braddock is the backdrop to the larger drama of Americans' struggle in the 1930s. Russell Crowe provides a brilliant interpretation of Braddock, capturing the decency of a man whose career as a boxer would appear to have peaked at just the wrong time prior to the Crash of 1929.

After that momentous event, Braddock's boxing went into decline just like the lives of millions of Americans. The scenes of Braddock and his family living in squalid conditions and with uncertainty about such basics as heat and electricity were carefully developed in the film. Renée Zellweger was outstanding as Mae, the caring but feisty wife of Braddock. Paul Giamatti was also excellent as Braddock's handler-manager, Joe Gould. Joe tries to keep up appearances by sporting fancy clothes. But in one revealing scene in the film when we see the interior of Joe's ostensibly swanky apartment, there is no fancy furniture other than a dowdy table and some flimsy deck chairs. Everyone is reeling from the Depression. In the depiction of the massive unemployment, the "Hoovervilles" of the homeless residing in Central Park, and the desperate need for Americans for an optimistic icon like Braddock to raise their spirits, the film truly captured the tragedy of the Great American Depression. The film's director Ron Howard emphasized close-ups throughout the film with uneven results. In many of the boxing sequences, the close-ups and rapid editing made it difficult tell the fighters apart.

The close-ups continued even into the domestic scenes and the outdoor sequences depicting Braddock working as a longshoreman. The film's dark cinematography conveyed the bleakness of the Depression years, but it worked against bringing out the buoyant spirit of Braddock himself and the optimism that he instilled in others. As a director, Howard's strength is not in film artistry or technique. As apparent in this and other films, his gift lies in narrative storytelling and the development of dramatic character. Indeed, the characters and the story were the strong points of "Cinderella Man." Much credit should go to Cliff Hollingsworth for a screenplay that included thoughtful dialogue, humor, and multi-dimensional characters. Daniel Orlandi also merits praise for the brilliant costumes that helped to recreate the period of the early 1930s. But the heart of this film experience is Russell Crowe's screen portrayal of Braddock. It was the colorful sportswriter and raconteur Damon Runyan who coined the nickname of "Cinderella Man" for Braddock. However, the real James J. Braddock was more than lucky. It was his strength of character in and out of the ring that captivated America.

One of the most moving scenes of the film was a heated argument between Braddock and his wife Mae where Braddock insists that even in the most difficult of times, he would refuse to be separated from his children. As a boxer, he was fearless. But he demonstrated even more courage in fighting for family valuesa lesson from which we can learn a great deal today in reflecting on this sensitive film. 118 of 148 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Cinderella Man Movie - Cinderella Man Trailer On this day in 1933, Braddock fought Hans Birkie in a 10 round Loss James J.

Braddock - The Movie Starring: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko Directed by: Ron Howard Release Date: June 3rd, 2005 Official Movie Website: cinderellamanmovie.com In the middle of the Great Depression, when an America in the grips of a devastating economic downturn was nearly brought to its knees, there came along a most unlikely hero who had crowds cheering on their feet-as he proved just how hard a man would fight to win a second chance for his family and himself. That common-man hero was James J. Braddock-a.k.a. the "Cinderella Man"-who was to become one of the most surprising and inspirational sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace. Like so many others, Braddock had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that really mattered to him-his family-was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief.

But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. In bout after bout, the talk was that poor Jim Braddock was criminally out-matched and perilously in over his head. Except that Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man who couldn't get a job became the mythic athlete who could not lose. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, Braddock rocketed through the ranks, until this underdog who defied all the odds chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, the unstoppable Max Baer, renowned for having killed two men in the ring.

With Cinderella Man, an Academy Award®-winning team-comprised of producer Brian Grazer, director Ron Howard, story by Cliff Hollingsworth, screenplay by Cliff Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman and actors Russell Crowe and Renée Zellweger-comes together to tell the quintessentially American story of a man who was not so much a great boxer as a great man who boxed his way out of darkness and defeat and into the stuff of immortality. Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe stars as Jim Braddock, whose single-minded devotion to family and dignity became just as famous as his tricky feints and killer left hook. The story begins when Braddock-once full of promise-is forced into retirement from boxing after a run of bad luck, just as America itself is sliding into the most frightening hard economic times the nation has ever known. Facing imminent poverty, Jim wants only to do right by the woman who has always been his source of strength-his feisty wife Mae, played by Oscar® winner Renée Zellweger. At first, he takes a string of dead-end dock jobs that only seem to leave him poorer.

But soon, the tightly-wedded couple are drowning in debt and emotionally devastated to see their children shivering in an unheated apartment amid the dead of a Jersey winter. Then, as a result of the efforts of Jim's indefatigable manager, Joe Gould (played by Golden Globe nominee Paul Giamatti), Jim gets an out-of-the-blue, last-ditch shot to fight in Madison Square Garden-and more importantly, a chance to put some food on the table for those he loves. Despite being too old, too hungry and too injured to be considered a real contender-and in direct opposition to Mae's strident fears for her husband's life-Braddock nevertheless steps back into the ring without any training. Stunning the crowd and the media, he knocks out his rising-star opponent…thanks in part to a powerful hook developed during countless hours of dock work. But it doesn't stop there. His career re-ignited, he starts to dig his family, victory by victory, out of their hole.

And the more he wins, the more Jim Braddock unwittingly becomes a folk hero, until it is as if every time he stands up to an opponent, he is standing up for the millions just like him battling to take care of their families and keep alive their sidelined dreams. Then, finally, comes the match of Braddock's life, as he boldly agrees to face off against world heavyweight champ Max Baer, a cocky powerhouse of a fighter with a punch so lethal he has already killed two men in the ring. Some say that Braddock will never even survive the match. Indeed, the odds are ten to one in Baer's favor as Braddock steps into his corner. But Jim Braddock has a different view: that this time he knows in his heart the incredible stakes for which he is fighting. Says director Ron Howard: "The story of Jim Braddock continues to be so incredibly stirring because it is a tale that reminds us of just how remarkable human endurance and the power of love can be.

Cinderella Man is a true American story about what it's like to cope in the moment, facing life's daily hardships, and to continue to passionately strive toward a goal-even a simple one like putting food on the table-no matter what the outcome turns out to be. It's that kind of story, that kind of cinematic journey that has always intrigued me as a filmmaker." Cinderella Man is a Universal Pictures/Miramax Films/Imagine Entertainment presentation of A Brian Grazer Production in association with Parkway Productions of A Ron Howard Film. The film is directed by Ron Howard and is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Penny Marshall. The story is by Cliff Hollingsworth and the screenplay is by Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman.

Joining Crowe and Zellweger in bringing the story of Braddock's triumph to the screen are Paul Giamatti (Sideways, American Splendor) as Joe Gould, the sharp-tongued trainer who managed one of the greatest comebacks of all time; Craig Bierko (Broadway's The Music Man, The Long Kiss Goodnight) as Max Baer, the flamboyant heavyweight champion of the world; Bruce Mcgill (Collateral, Elizabethtown) as Jimmy Johnston, '30s boxing promoter who engineered bouts with the showmanship and control of a Roman emperor ruling over a gladiator challenge; and Paddy Considine (In America) as Mike Wilson, a fictional character whose story of personal downfall during the Depression serves as a counterpoint to Braddock's astonishing ascent. Stepping in to portray Braddock's opponents in the ring are several current boxing stars, including heavyweight fighter Art Binkowski (as Corn Griffin), light heavyweight Troy Amos-Ross (as John Henry Lewis) and heavyweight Mark Simmons (as Art Lasky).

Ron Howard's accomplished creative team who bring Depression Era America and the visceral thrills of the boxing ring to life include: cinematographer Salvatore Totino (Any Given Sunday, The Missing), production designer Wynn Thomas (A Beautiful Mind, Analyze That), Oscar®-winning editors and long-time Ron Howard associates Mike Hill and Dan Hanley (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) and costume designer Daniel Orlandi (Meet the Parents, The Alamo). Music is by Thomas Newman (Road to Perdition, Finding Nemo). Boxing choreographer Nick Powell and boxing/stunt coordinator Steve Lucescu, under the guidance of legendary boxing trainer/consultant Angelo Dundee (noted for his work with Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, among others), coordinated the film's boxing sequences. credit cinderellamanmovie.com 'Cinderella Man' Movie Review (2005) - ComingSoon.net June 3, 2005 SHARE In the midst of blockbuster space battles Universal debuts a heartfelt biopic of a boxer, better yet a father and husband, as he fights against all odds to support his family during the trying times of the Great Depression.

Cinderella Man is a risky venture as biopics of this stature are normally reserved for fourth quarter releases as they ready themselves for an Oscar run, hence the reason Cinderella Man was originally set for a December 17, 2004 release… Million Dollar Baby vs. Cinderella Man? Now there is an Oscar bout people would have certainly paid to see considering this movie is every bit as good as Million Dollar, then again, it is better. Russell Crowe’s ability to bring characters to life on the big screen will never be questioned again, that is if it ever was, as he breathes life into James J. Braddock with Cinderella Man becoming the first major Oscar contender of the year. Told on two fronts, Cinderella Man delves into the family life of a down on his luck boxer from his fallen status as a one-time boxing great as well as his tumultuous battle to keep food on the table.

It’s the 1920s, Braddock (Crowe), his wife (Renee Zellweger) and their three kids have a great life but things soon change as Braddock suffers a string of losses in the ring and is forced into retirement just as America enters the darkest years of the Great Depression. Forced to move into a basement apartment, he moves from one dead end job to the next with the cold of winter just around the corner. With the pride of his life–his family–suffering from health related issues Braddock is forced to beg for money, work the Hoboken loading docks all to suddenly find himself blessed with a second chance as his one-time boxing promoter Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) offers him a shot at fighting an up-and-coming fighter to prepare the young man for a heavyweight bout. The fight not only offers Braddock another shot in the ring, but it means money for food and electricity. Despite not a single day of training, Braddock shocks the world and his dream of a comeback seems once again energized.

It is best to leave it at that as the less you know the better, as I am certain the element of surprise and the emotional toll this movie weighs on the audience will certainly be lessened for those that already know the story, fortunately for me I was not one of those people. Cinderella Man is Ron Howard’s greatest outing to date, and as a boxing flick and sport movie this one sits atop the pile as it is better than Rocky, Raging Bull and the aforementioned Million Dollar Baby. Howard paints a picture of authenticity as his three lead actors command the story along with a powerful group of supporting roles turned in by the likes of Bruce McGill, Paddy Considine and Craig Bierko. Whether it is in the ring, on the street or in the dark depths of a basement apartment you will be completely enveloped by this story. Sometimes people wonder why sports films, boxing films in particular, are so popular and are always considered so good. It is because they aim to inspire and the good ones do just that.

Usually you come across a down-on-his-luck or washed up sports figure and are thrust into their life and made to suffer just as they are until that one chance to grab the dream comes along and that is what Cinderella Man does to you, it is that powerful. Russell Crowe gives a performance to remember and Cinderella Man is very likely to make a major stir during the awards season this year as it will be re-released come Oscar time just so the Academy doesn’t forget how great it is. After Crowe and Howard teamed together on the Oscar-winning picture A Beautiful Mind I should have just assumed Cinderella Man was going to be a knock-out, but I was never ready for the punch it delivered.

GRADE: A+ Jim Braddock - BoxRec Jim Braddock Hall of Fame bio: click World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Name: Jim Braddock Birth Name: James Walter Braddock Born: 1905-06-07 Birthplace: New York, New York, USA Died: 1974-11-29 (Age:69) Hometown: North Bergen, New Jersey, USA Stance: Orthodox Height: 6′ 2½″ / 189cm Reach: 75″ / 191cm 4 External Links Career Overview Like the man himself in the 1930s, the legacy of Jim Braddock has had a recent comeback. The 2005 motion picture "Cinderella Man" revived his forgotten name and story to people of today. Although the film romanticized some of the everyman appeal of Braddock's story, the tale of his journey from impoverished dock worker to owner of the richest title in sports is compelling.

Overcoming the starvation and destitution of the Depression, chronic injuries to his right hand, and twenty-three professional losses inside of five years through determination and hard work, Braddock's story represents one of the great aspects of the sport of boxing: its presentation of opportunity to the apparently hopeless and its occasional rewarding of hard work over natural talent. Which is not to say that he lacked talent. Fast and skilled, Jimmy showed skill as a boxing counter puncher. Possessed of a thunderous right hand punch and known as a determined competitor, Braddock suffered just two knockout losses in eighty-six pro outings. On top of that, he fought eight bouts against hall of fame competition and etched himself a place in the hall over a twelve year career. Bulldog of Bergen Though Braddock's winning the heavyweight championship was a major upset, it was not as though he came out of nowhere. Jimmy had been a valid contender in the light heavyweight division earlier in the decade. Born James Walter Braddock into the notoriously impoverished Irish American neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen in New York City, Jimmy's earliest experience with fisticuffs occurred in the streets at a young age.

After he moved with his parents to North Bergen, New Jersey as a schoolboy, his fighting ways continued until someone suggested he channel his violent habits into organized boxing. At age sixteen, Jimmy began his amateur career. After winning the New Jersey State championships in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, he eventually turned professional at twenty years old. Braddock's manager, Joe Gould suggested that Jimmy change his name, from James Walter Braddock to "James J. Braddock", for stage purposes. The "J" initial was to imitate the frequently used middle initial of early heavyweight boxing champions James J. Corbett and James J. Jeffries . Gould guided his new charge into his first pro match against Al Settle at Union City, New Jersey, in 1926. The fight went the scheduled four round distance and, because official boxing decisions were illegal in New Jersey and other states at the time, the fight was official listed as a "no-decision". It was a lackluster start for Gould's new light heavyweight fighter, but Jimmy quickly showed promise in the next several months, knocking out his next eleven opponents, eight in the first round.

By the end of the year he was fighting regularly in New York City, where the big money opponents and crowds appeared. He made a successful debut at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 1927 against George LaRocco . Though LaRocco outweighed him by twenty-two pounds, Braddock put him away inside of a round. With Braddock still undefeated by the end of 1927, Gould began making a serious push at getting his fighter a title shot in 1928. A decision loss to the bigger Joe Monte over ten rounds on June 7 of that year, Jimmy's first professional loss, did not discourage he or Gould. Braddock was put in the ring with marginal contender Joe Sekyra just three bouts later, Sekyra taking a ten round decision. By this point, the newspapers had begun worrying that Braddock's talent was being squandered by Gould, who was rushing him too quickly to the top. Ignoring the critics, Braddock next took on Pete Latzo , the former welterweight champion who was making a comeback as a light heavyweight. The result was a noteworthy upset, as Jimmy broke the ex-champ's jaw and earned a ten round decision victory.

That essential victory having saved his status as a young prospect, Braddock was nonetheless a significant underdog when he next fought undefeated power-puncher Tuffy Griffith at Madison Square Garden. To the astonishment of all in attendance, Braddock dropped his man four times in the second round for a sensational knockout win. At the close of 1928, The Ring , the sport?s most popular journal, rated Jimmy as the number one contender for the crown held by world light heavyweight champion Tommy Loughran . On January 18, 1929, he was matched with the number two ranked contender, Leo Lomski of Aberdeen, Washington. Lomski took the ten round decision, but Braddock quickly rebounded with a ninth round stoppage of former world champion Jimmy Slattery , two months later. After a first round pummeling of overmatched Eddie Benson in April, Braddock was finally given his shot at Loughran. A future hall of famer considered among the great light heavyweight champs in history, Loughran was a fast, skilled boxer, who was by this time already a veteran of over one hundred pro bouts and was making his fourth defense of the championship.

On July 18, 1929, he danced circles around the relative upstart Braddock, dealing the New Jersey fighter an embarrassingly one-sided boxing lesson and taking a fifteen round unanimous decision. Financial & Professional Troubles He was in the ring less than a month later to fight the unknown Yale Okun in Los Angeles. The upset decision in favor of Okun, however, foreshadowed the tailspin Braddock's career was about to take. At the same time, the loss illustrated that Braddock appeared to have lost confidence due to the loss to Loughran noted above. On November 15, 1929, looking to prove the doubters wrong, Jimmy took on number one contender Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom , another future hall of famer and more experienced fighter. Rosenbloom won a decision, dealing Jimmy his third consecutive loss in a period of four months. Braddock's boxing career took another turn for the worse when he was forced to work on the docks (due to the effects of the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression) and did not have the time to train or money to pay trainers.

His right hand, his best punch, also frequently broke in fights and Jimmy did not have the money to get it properly cared for. Instead he would often go into fights on short notice, just days apart, disguising the injury. From January, 1930 to May, 1933, he lost seventeen pro bouts and disappeared from the view and minds of the boxing press and fans. He moved into the heavyweight division, but fared no better. With fight offers now coming less frequently and respectable paydays even less frequently than that, Braddock reluctantly borrowed from welfare to support his children. Things seemed to be turning up for Jim's career in the Summer of 1933. He won two consecutive bouts in June and July. But after breaking his right hand in a bout against prospect Abe Feldman on September 25, Braddock's career seemed over. Unable to fight and only working occasionally on the Hoboken docks, Jimmy's future seemed bleak. Cinderella Man Now living in horrendous poverty, Braddock was suddenly open to a return to the ring when Madison Square Garden promoter James J. Johnston approached him about facing Corn Griffin , Johnston's latest prospect.

Griffin had impressed sportswriters with his boxing technique as a sparring partner to reigning heavyweight champion Primo Carnera . On two day's notice, a match was made between Griffin and Braddock, who was perceived as a has-been pushover for Giffin to annihilate, on the under card of the heavyweight championship bout between Primo Carnera and Max Baer at the Garden on June 14, 1934. The younger, fresher Griffin fearlessly battered his over-the-hill opponent in the opening round, and sent Jimmy down for the second time in his career during those second round. Jimmy rose and stunned the crowd by putting Griffin down with a well-time right hand counter. The remainder of the round was all Braddock, as Griffin, clearly stunned, flailed aimlessly and took big right hand blows to the head. The fight continued along the same lines going into the third, until the referee stopped the match and declared Jimmy the upset winner. "I did that on hash", Braddock gloated to Gould in victory. "Wait till you see what I can do on steak." Jimmy's purse for the bout was two-hundred and fifty dollars.

While Griffin had been no top contender, the surprising win did convince some that Braddock may have enough left to continue fighting. When Madison Square Garden's Jimmy Johnston signed up-and-coming light heavyweight John Henry Lewis of Pheonix, Arizona to a three-fight contract, Johnston arranged for Lewis to face Braddock in what was supposed to be a showcase for Lewis in his New York debut. Two years earlier, the slick and swift Lewis won a clear cut ten-round decision over Braddock and was the heavy favorite for the rematch on November 16, 1934. Again Jimmy turned the tables. He outfought his younger opponent, even putting Lewis down. After ten rounds, Braddock was the winner and took the ten round decision. John Henry Lewis would go on to win the world's light heavyweight championship and establish credentials as a future hall of famer. Now a surprise entry into the heavyweight contender rankings, Braddock was matched with fellow contender Art Lasky of Minneapolis. Lasky was being groomed for a title shot at heavyweight champion Max Baer, but needed a win over a name opponent in order to secure his chance.

When they got into the ring together on March 22, 1935, at Madison Square Garden, Lasky outweighed Braddock by nearly fifteen pounds. Braddock, however, turned his size disadvantage into an advantage. He constantly circled the heavier man, using his work rate and punching accuracy to maintain a lead on the scorecards and keep Art from getting settled. In the eleventh round, Lasky managed to land a terrific punch that sent Jimmy's mouthpiece flying. But otherwise, the fight was all Braddock and, after fifteen rounds, the outcome was clear. Braddock's 1934 to 1935 comeback had created a sensation in fight circles. Damon Runyon dubbed him the "Cinderella Man" because of his rags-to-riches story and The Ring magazine now rated him as the number two heavyweight contender, behind Germany?s Max Schmeling . When the Madison Square Garden Corporation , who virtually controlled the heavyweight championship at the time, demanded Schmeling face Braddock to determine who would get a chance at Max Baer?s title, Schmeling outright refused to fight Jimmy. As a result, Garden executives arranged a title shot for Braddock.

Younger and much bigger, the hard-hitting, wild-brawling Baer came into the fight the favorite by eight-to-one. However, Max failed to take his challenger seriously and neglected to train properly for the match. On June 13, 1935, at Madison Square Garden, the champion found himself having an unexpected tough time. Braddock, meanwhile, fought the fight with determination and skill. He used constant movement and a stiff left jab to keep Max unsettled. Baer tried to throw his haymaker right hand, but Braddock knew to look out for it and the champion usually missed by a long distance. Unable to compete with Braddock's conditioning and technical precision, Baer could do little else but gasp for breath and make faces at his opponent. The champion fouled on occasion and, when warned by the referee, made theatrical gestures of apology to the crowd and Braddock. The result was a unanimous decision for Braddock in one of the great upsets in the annals of the heavyweight championship. In two years, Jim Braddock had gone from living off of government assistance to capturing the richest prize in sports.

The Louis Fight and Later Years Jimmy and manager Joe Gould sought to make the most of the newfound fame and success. For two years, Braddock avoided professional competition. Instead, they froze the title, which allowed Braddock to earn money touring the country giving boxing exhibitions and public appearances. When it came time for him to return to the ring, Max Schmeling was still the standout heavyweight contender. A former champion himself and a future hall of famer, the German had recently scored his own upset victory of note by knocking out the undefeated Brown Bomber of Detroit, Joe Louis , in twelve rounds. Though the recent political activities inside Schmeling?s native country promised controversy surrounding an international title bout, arrangements for a Braddock-Schmeling fight were put into the works by Jimmy Johnston and the Madison Square Garden Corporation. When Braddock claimed a hand injury in training, however, those plans were postponed. Whether or not the champ truly suffered the injury is not known for sure, but the delay allowed Gould time to weasel out of the Schmeling match.

Mike Jacobs , promoter for the Twentieth Century Sporting Club (the Garden?s top rival), offered Gould ten percent of all of the ring earnings of Joe Louis for the next decade if Braddock would sign to fight Louis instead. Over the vehement protests of Schmeling and the Garden, Braddock signed to face Louis for the championship. The Louis fight, held at Chicago's Comiskey Park on June 22, 1937, was Jimmy's first in two years. His challenger, nine years his junior, had fought a dozen times in that period, winning eleven of those bouts, ten by knockout. In a rare case of the challenger being the favorite over the champion, Louis was made the 10-to-1 favorite. At first, it appeared that Jimmy would pull off the upset. In the first round, he fired a short right hand that put Louis on the seat of his pants. Stunned but not hurt, Louis rose at the count of two and dealt a brutal beating to the champion. Jimmy did well to last into the eighth round, when a right hand caught him directly on the chin.

Braddock's knees sagged and then, with a delayed reaction, he crumbled to the floor, blood spilling out of his nose onto the floor. He was counted out and the title transferred to Louis. Feeling he had enough in the tank for one more win, Jimmy next fought on January 21, 1938. His opponent, Welsh Tommy Farr , was a clever boxer who had gone fifteen rounds in a losing title shot at Louis. Again Braddock scored a noteworthy upset, rallying in the later rounds to take a ten round decision. With that, Jimmy retired, focusing instead on a career as a manager of younger fighters. He invested the money won in his comeback well and ran several successful business in later life. He passed away on November 29, 1974 at age 69 and was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Four years later, he legend was revitalized with the biopic "Cinderella Man"" , with Russell Crowe playing the role of Jim.

Sources Cinderella Man (8/8) Movie CLIP - The Ending: New World Champion (2005) HD - YouTube Cinderella Man (8/8) Movie CLIP - The Ending: New World Champion (2005) HD Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on May 27, 2011 Cinderella Man movie clips: BUY THE MOVIE: Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: CLIP DESCRIPTION: Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) is named the new Heavyweight World Champion, defeating the reigning champ Max Baer (Craig Bierko). FILM DESCRIPTION: The true story of an athlete who achieved his greatest success against the most daunting odds of his life is brought to the screen in this historical drama.

In the 1920s, James Braddock (Russell Crowe) from Bergen, NJ, was a promising contender in professional boxing; he had strength, spirit, and tenacity, but the combination of a serious hand injury and a 1929 defeat in a bout with light heavyweight champ Tommy Loughran sent his career into a serious tailspin. As Braddock's career in the ring dried up, the Great Depression put a stake through the heart of America's economy, and Braddock found himself working at the New York docks for pitiful wages as he tried to support his wife, Mae (Renée Zellweger), and three children. Desperate for money, Braddock turned to his former trainer and manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti), who was unexpectedly able to scare up a bout for him, battling John Griffin at Madison Square Garden. While conventional wisdom had it that Braddock was too old, out of shape, and out of practice to have any chance of winning, he defeated Griffin, and continued beating his opponents with a powerful left hook that had been intensified by years of punishing dock work.

In a nation desperate for good news, Braddock's surprising comeback became a tonic to struggling workers and unemployed people, and all eyes were on Braddock when in 1935 he took on powerful heavyweight champion Max Baer (Craig Bierko) in what was both literally and figuratively the fight of his life. CREDITS: TM & © Universal (2005) Cast: Craig Bierko, Nicholas Campbell, Fulvio Cecere, Philip Craig, Russell Crowe, Angelo Dundee, Paul Giamatti, Rance Howard, Chuck Shamata Director: Ron Howard Producers: Brian Grazer, Todd Hallowell, Ron Howard, Penny Marshall, Kathleen McGill, Louisa Velis, James Whitaker Screenwriter: Akiva Goldsman WHO ARE WE? The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. Made by movie fans, for movie fans. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MOVIE CHANNELS:

Question: Who played boxer James Braddock in the 2005 biopic Cinderella Man
Answer: Russell Crowe